Techniques to automatically update software applications

Abstract

Techniques to automatically update software applications are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor and a memory. The memory may store an update component that when executed by the processor is operative to manage updates for an application program. The update component may comprise an update manager and a permission manager. The update manager may be operative to update a file version for one or more application files of the application program and store one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program in the memory. The permission manager may be operative to receive a communication request to communicate with a remote device from the application program prior to communicating information to the remote device, and send a communication response granting or denying the communication request to the application program based on the one or more current file version identifiers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 updating a file version for one or more application files of an application program for a first computing device;   storing one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program in a memory of the first computing device;   receiving a communication request to communicate with a second computing device from the application program prior to communicating information to the second computing device; and   sending a communication response granting or denying the communication request to the application program based on the one or more current file version identifiers.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising synchronizing a client update catalog with a server update catalog, with each update catalog having a set of file update rules and one or more update file version identifiers for one or more application files of one or more application programs. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising retrieving an update package for the one or more application files of the application program from an update server when one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program do not match one or more update file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising installing file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package based on an associated update priority values for the file updates and a set of file update rules. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising installing file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package when an associated update priority value indicates a file update is mandatory. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising deferring to install file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package when an associated update priority value indicates a file update is optional. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising storing an update override value for the application program by another application program. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising installing file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package based on associated update priority values for the file updates and associated update override values for the one or more application files of the application program. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising installing file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package when an associated update priority value indicates a file update is optional and an update override value indicates the file update is mandatory. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising deferring to install file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package when an associated update priority value indicates a file update is optional and an update override value indicates the file update is optional. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 retrieving the one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program from the memory of the first computing device;   comparing the one or more current file version identifiers with one or more defined version identifiers;   generating a communication response granting the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are greater than or equal to the one or more defined version identifiers; and   generating a communication response denying the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are less than the one or more defined version identifiers.   
     
     
         12 . An article comprising a storage medium containing instructions that when executed enable a system to store one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of an application program in a memory unit, receive a communication request to communicate with a remote device from the application program prior to communicating information to the remote device, and send a communication response granting or denying the communication request to the application program based on the one or more current file version identifiers. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to retrieve the one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program from the memory unit, and compare the one or more current file version identifiers with one or more update file version identifiers of an update catalog. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to generate a communication response granting the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are greater than or equal to one or more update file version identifiers, and generate a communication response denying the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are less than the one or more update file version identifiers. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory to store an update component that when executed by the processor is operative to manage updates for an application program, the update component comprising an update manager and a permission manager, the update manager operative to update a file version for one or more application files of the application program and store one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program in the memory, and the permission manager operative to receive a communication request to communicate with a remote device from the application program prior to communicating information to the remote device and send a communication response granting or denying the communication request to the application program based on the one or more current file version identifiers.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , the update manager comprising a catalog module that when executed by the processor is operative to synchronize a client update catalog with a server update catalog, with each update catalog having a set of file update rules and update file version identifiers for one or more application files of one or more application programs. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , the update manager comprising a download module that when executed by the processor is operative to retrieve an update package for the one or more application files of the application program from an update server when one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program do not match one or more update file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , the update manager comprising an installation module that when executed by the processor is operative to install file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package based on an associated update priority values for the file updates and a set of file update rules. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , the update manager comprising an installation module that when executed by the processor is operative to install file updates for the one or more application files of the application program from the update package based on associated update priority values for the file updates and associated update override values for the one or more application files of the application program. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , the permission manager operative to retrieve the one or more current file version identifiers for the one or more application files of the application program from memory, compare the one or more current file version identifiers with one or more defined version identifiers, generate a communication response granting the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are greater than or equal to the one or more defined version identifiers, and generate a communication response denying the communication request when the one or more current file version identifiers are less than the one or more defined version identifiers.